Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. M. MQMASTER.

CAR COUPLING No. 451,898. Pa tented May '5, 1891.

(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. M. MOMASTER.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 451,898. V Patented May 5,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. MOMASTER, OF ROCHESTER, NETV YORK.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,898, dated May 5, 1891. Application filed September 12, 1890. erial No. 364,721. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Beit known that I, JOSEPH M. MCMASTER, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the drawings accompanying this application.

My improvement relates to car-couplings, and is a device by which the common link and pin are used and made to operate automatically by a simple arrangement of levers and springs.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partially in section,showing the ends of two cars approaching and in condition for being coupled. Fig. 2is an enlarged end elevation of one of the cars with the coupling set ready to engage the next car. Figs; 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections of the front end of the draw-head, Fig. 3 being vertical and Fig. 4 horizontal. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the spring inside the draw-head. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the coupling mechanism in line era: of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a'diagram showing a plan view of the joint on which one of the levers turns. of the locking-hook.

A A indicate the draw-heads, which are of usual form and attached to the cars B B in the usual way, each draw-head being pressed outward by the ordinary spring a. 1n myinvention this elastic movement is necessaryin order to spring the coupling mechanism, as will be more fully described. Each of the draw-heads has aspring b located in its mouth and attached to its upper side at the rear end, thence extending down in an inclined direction toward the bottom of the opening and thence rising again in areverseincline and projecting outward at the top and restingloosely at that point. This spring is provided with side wings c c, which extend downward in an inclined direction, said wings being attached to a saddle c, riveted or otherwise attached on top of spring b. The coupling-link C in entering the draw-head is guided downward Fig. 8 is a side view the operation of the spring I).

D indicates the coupling-pin of usual form and resting in holes of the draw-head.

E E are two levers pivoted at d d to the end of the car and projecting outward, so that they can be reached and operated from either side without going between the-cars. The lever E has a slot fat its inner end, through which the coupling-pin passes, said slot being of sufficient length to allow proper play as the lever is raised or lowered without bind ing the pin. The pin has a head 9 of such vsize that the pin will'be raised with the lever when the latter is thrown up. The lever E :is connected with leverE by means of a hook 71., which hooks into the slotted end, by which means the two levers are jointed in the center and either will be thrown up by raising the other.

i is a yoke or cap in the form of a loop secured to the end of lever E above .the slot :and embracing the head g of the couplingpin, said yoke allowing proper play of the pin as the levers are raised or lowered, but preventing the escape of the pin.

G is a weight, hinged at to the end of the .car, and resting on top. of the yoke t', and serving to press the pin down, so as to pass through the draw-head and engage with the link when the levers are released, as hereinafter described.

Z Z are catches fixed to the end of the car near the outer sides, under which the ends of the levers E E are placed to hold the coupling-pin raised.

m is a lever at the top of the car, pivoted at p, and n is a wire or chain attached at one end to the lower end of the lever and at the other to the top of the coupling-pin, or the yoke that covers it, said wire passing through a slot made in the weight. By means of the lever on and wire at the coupling-pin can be raised and the levers engaged with their catches from the top of the car whenever desired.

To couple the cars the link is fitted to one car, as shown at the right in Fig. 1, and the coupling-pin of the other car is raised and held suspended for the entrance of the link into the draw head. To accomplish this the outer end of lever E or E is pressed down till the ends of both levers catch under the catches Z Z, which is accomplished by the elastic action of the draw-head pressing outward, forcing the outer ends of the levers against said catches. When the draw-heads strike together, the concussion presses the draw-head in against the spring a, turns the levers on their fulcrums (Z (Z, and releases the their outer ends from the catches ZZ, when the coupling-pin drops through the drawhead and engages the link. The levers are set by hand, but disengaged automatically by the end movement of the draw-head against its spring when the draw-heads strike together. A spring ris placed over the weight, bearing on same to insure more perfect action. This spring has the tendency to hold the weight down under all circumstances and prevents anyjumping of the same under violent motions.

s s are weighted hooks at the sides of the car, designed to be turned over and engage with the levers E E and hold the latter down at any time necessary-for instance, in making flying switches or shunting cars from one track to another. In such case the coupling pin is held up permanently. The weights on these hooks are so arranged that so long as the levers are let alone the strain on the hooks keeps them locked; but whenit is desired to release them from the opposite side of the car said lever, being forced down, slacks the hook, which is then turned back by its weight, thus releasing the lever, all of which can be done without crossing between the cars.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head A, of the flat sheet metal spring Z), attached at the rear to the upper side of the draw-head, curved downward at the center and upward at the outer end, resting against the upper front side of the drawhead, and extending transversely across the opening of the draw-head, as shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

2. In a car-coupling, the combinatiomwith the draw-head A, of the spring I), the saddle c, and side wings c 0', applied in the mouth thereof, and arranged to operate as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a car-coupling, the combination,w 1th the draw-head A, provided with a reactlng spring a, whereby the draw-head is made elastic, of the levers E E ,pivoted to the end of the car, so as to turn up and down and to swing out and in, the coupling-pin D, connected with the inner ends of the levers and retaining its hold at all times in the top of the draw-head, and the catches Z Z atthe sides of the car, with which the outer ends of the levers engage, whereby, when the draw-heads strike, the outer ends of the levers are automatically disengaged from the catches by the concussion, as herein shown and described.

4:. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head A, provided with the reacting spring a, of the levers E E, pivoted to the end of the car and jointed together at the center, the coupling-pin D, attached. to said levers and resting in a hole of the draw-head, the yoke i, securing the head of the pin, the hinged weight G, resting on top of the yoke, and the catches Z Z near the sides of the car, with which the outer ends of the levers engage, as and for the purpose specified.

5. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a draw-head A, provided .with a reacting.

spring a, of thelevers E E, pivoted to the end of the car and jointed in the center,'the coupling-pin D, attached to said levers, the yoke z, inclosing the head of the pin, the hinged weight G, resting on top of the yoke, the catches Z Z near the sides of the car, the pivoted lever m near the top of the car, and the wire or chain 11, attached at one end to said lever and at the other to the pin, as herein shown and described.

6. In a car-coupling, the combination,with the lever E, of the hook 8, provided with a hook end that engages with the lever, and a counter-weight that overbalances and releases the hook from the lever when the latter is depressed, as herein shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH M. MOMASTER.

Witnesses:

R. F. Oseoon, WM. J. MCPHERSON.

ICC 

